Michigan nonprofit lender has been making SBA Microloans since 1994
Northern Initiatives, a nonprofit lender serving communities across Michigan, has been named Michigan SBA Microlender of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Association.
For more than three decades, Northern Initiatives has used SBA programs to help underserved entrepreneurs and small businesses access capital. According to the SBA, Northern Initiatives has issued 615 SBA microloans totaling $13,025,410 since 1994. In 2025, the year for which the organization is being honored, Northern Initiatives made 22 SBA microloans totaling$580,245.
The SBA microloan program provides loans of up to $50,000, with the average loan around$13,000. Across Michigan, the SBA delivered $1.3 billion in financing in 2025.
One early beneficiary of a Northern Initiatives SBA microloan is Four Leaf Brewing Co. in downtown Clare. Owner Amy Shindorf has grown the business into a local destination and partnered with nearby Central Michigan University to help educate the next generation of brewers. The renovated historic building that houses the brewpub serves as an anchor of downtown Clare.
“We can see the impact of these loans in every city – sometimes on each block,” said Elissa Sangalli, president of Northern Initiatives. “More than 99.5% of Michigan businesses are small businesses, and they employ nearly half of the state’s workforce. We are honored to support their success”
Since its founding, Northern Initiatives has loaned more than $120 million to Michigan entrepreneurs.
Northern Initiatives provides capital and hands-on support to entrepreneurs who can’t access traditional financing – helping businesses grow and communities thrive. Learn more at northerninitiatives.org.
Chuck Hurst, Northern Initiatives Vice President of Lending, accepts the SBA Microlender of the Year Award from Laketa Henderson, SBA District Director.
